Blog | Icon Gym

Water: How much do you really need? This is a very common question. Water is something that we all need obviously, and to be perfectly honest, the activity level and how much you’re actually moving during the day really matters. So athletes are going to need a lot more than your standard office worker that’s not doing much. So if you’re going to the gym two or three times per week, riding a bike, doing some running along with that, I strongly suggest that you start off with about half your body weight in ounces as a good rule of thumb. But you really need to make sure that you’re not just drinking a lot of water and it’s just running right through you. ....

Should you buy organic, or should you not? Very common question that we get among clients, and the number one thing that I would say is YES, absolutely if you can. So, what I mean by that is I think it’s absolutely necessary that you should really really try and buy your meats and things like that organic and grass-finished and all that stuff if you can, at all times. Why do I suggest that? Well you have to understand that whatever the animal is eating, it’s taking in. So you store toxins in your fat cells-animals do the same thing. Why is this important? You have grains and things that you have companies like Monsanto and these things spraying what’s called ....

Alright, today we’re going to talk about Magnesium and why you need to supplement with it for better sleep and better recover. So first off, magnesium isn’t really a “sleep supplement” per say, it will just help you relax. It’s going to help the central nervous system calm down at night, it’s going to bring you into more of a parasympathetic state. So, you have your “sympathetic” which is fight or flight, and your “parasympathetic” which is rest and digest. So, magnesium is actually going to help you chill out at night, it’s also going to help you deal with stress a lot better during the day-and this is where the ....

Protein Supplements: What to look for, and what to avoid. Today I’m going to talk about the different kinds of protein, and what you might want to look out of when picking your protein. Alright, so here we have at Icon Gym, it’s called NoWay Protein by ATB Science. So this is a hydrolyzed, collagen protein. 40% of the protein in your body is made up of collagen. Collagen is going to help your connective tissues, this particular product is actually better research shows, better at muscle building than things like whey. The percentage-I’m not really sure, it’s not that much-but at the same time this is very easily digestible, whereas people with dairy issues ....

Hey what’s up guys? Here in this next video we’re going to talk about how carbohydrates can help you gain muscle. No, really-carbohydrates are a great part of the diet they’re not bad at all, and if you are wanting to gain muscle mass, they’re pretty important. It’s extremely hard, number one, to eat enough calories a lot of times if you’re trying to gain muscle, and a lot of times your performance is going to thrive on carbohydrates. Now, things like your gut health, things like that, need to be in a good place if you’re going to consume a decent amount of carbohydrates. Also, the leaner you are, the better you’re going to use ....

Dehydration. Dehydration and is it affecting your progress? I’ll be honest, a lot of people that come into the gym and that I see are chronically dehydrated. If you take an electrolyte powder that we have here at the gym, a lot of times if that tastes salty initially, that could mean that you are somewhat dehydrated. Now, take this note to heart: dehydration, if you are dehydrated, it can affect performance up to 60-70 percent! So if that is an issue, just think about what that is doing to performance. It’s also going to affect you outside of the gym, as well. Things like just basic activities can really be affected as you go about your day. So, just consider taking ....

When you're looking for a new gym, it’s important to really do your research. Some of you may be beginners and some of you may be more advanced. Either way, you want to know a few things about yourself first before you decide, including: 1. What you are actually trying to achieve. 2. What you really enjoy. There are plenty of gyms around, but what are you really going after and what gym is going to help you reach your goals? You want to find a gym with credibility, not only with good reviews and testimonials, but with good customer and client service. It’s very hard for a person to find a gym with trainers that really care. It’s ....

I think it’s very common for people to be jaded and hesitant about training with a personal trainer. If you are currently working with one, you need to ask yourself if your trainer is doing anything to make you better. While accountability is important for your trainer to have, at the same time, they shouldn’t just be your cheerleader. If you’re looking for a cheerleader, go to your friend’s house and they can do that for you. If you are looking for results, then you need direction. You also need information about what you’re doing in your workout and why it’s important. You don’t need a trainer who is going to just sit there and text ....

You need to ditch the corporate gym once and for all. Why? Let me explain. To start with, corporate gyms just don’t work. Corporate gyms may have a lot of machines and be able to fit a lot of people, but you won’t really learn anything there. On top of the $50 gym membership fee, you may end up spending another $120 for a single session with a trainer who isn’t invested, hasn’t done any coursework, and has no way of showing what they have done in terms of education. At a gym like this, you ultimately get nowhere. It’s time to start thinking about what you’re trying to achieve overall with your health. Like I tell people who come in to Icon, it is ....

The keto or ketogenic diet is the most popular diet out there at the moment. So many people are jumping on the bandwagon that I decided it was a good idea to address it—is it really as beneficial as everyone says? In my opinion, most people probably do not need to do this diet . Many of the most popular diets all lead to the same results. One question that we should ask ourselves before participating in a popular diet is whether or not it is going to be sustainable. The ketogenic diet consists of 70% to 75% fats, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. Carbs mainly come from things like low glycemic vegetables and cruciferous greens. The key to the keto diet is ....

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Adam Foote

Dave Shutler is literally the best personal trainer and coach this side of the Mississippi! He's trained me and many of my friends and family to get in the best shape of our lives. I've never met another trainer that has the knowledge and experience Dave has. And his ability to explain all the nutritional and exercise details in a way that we can understand them is what this industry needs more of. Dave will forever be our go-to resource for all things health and fitness. Keep it up Dave! You are truly the best!

Jen Peters

Dave has trained me for about a year on and off. I always end up coming back to him because my workouts with him are SO much better than without him. Besides the fact that he is fun to train with, he pushed me harder than I thought I could be pushed. If I had any health or fitness question he always had a knowledgeable answer ready to share. I appreciated that he was much more than just a trainer but also helped me with the nutrition side of things as well. If you are ready to transform your body and lifestyle- Dave and icon gym are the way to go.

Caleb Armstrong

The first thing that I noticed about Dave Shutler was his genuine enthusiasm for working with me. Over the months that he has trained me, Dave’s sincerity and deep knowledge of all aspects of fitness have never failed to impress me. I am always continually impressed by his humility too. He can shift gears from a casual conversation to an in-depth discussion about fitness and never come across as if he is lecturing or condescending.

This enthusiasm, attention to detail, and sincerity is something that was a pleasant surprise. I had never worked with a personal trainer before this year and, I suppose, I had some thoughts regarding what to expect from one.

Needless to say, Dave blew my expectations out of the water. He is approachable and kind, and is ceaselessly engaged in the success of his clients. Despite the intensity of some of the workouts, and the jelly-legs that they may produce, he is there to push you; he is always in your corner. He is your strongest ally while you are pursuing your goals.

It’s easy enough to become jaded when working with clients but not once have I felt as if Dave didn’t want to be there working with me to achieve my goals. He possesses an innate ability to motivate you to do better, and your successes are that much stronger because of his genuine belief in you.

He’ll make you push yourself, and those successes won’t be painless. There’s no question about that. It won’t be easy. It shouldn’t be. But it’s a hell of a lot easier with Dave at your side.